Lovingly appropriated from the Icelandic tradition of Jólabókaflóð,
By The Bowers present Beers & Book Swap!
Click here to buy tickets:
Participants who purchase tickets will be sent a unique code for a discount to purchase their book from Shelf Lovers. You should receive this automatically from Oztix – please let us know if you don’t get it!
How to Participate in Beers & Book Swap
Step 1: Buy your entry ticket!
This is a ticketed event largely to help manage RSVPs for the day. We know people are much more likely to turn up to an event that they pay for – and we can’t do this event without people! Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards us running more of these events. We have big plans including a more family orientated Book Swap (Bubs & Books??) and being able to run free events too.
If the cost is a barrier but you want to attend – no reasons needed, just DM us.
Step 2: Choose your book to swap!
Think five stars – something you loved, something that got you talking, something someone else simply MUST read. It could be your all time favourite (something you read again and again), or just a once off awesome read. It can be long, short, fiction or non fiction, a prize winner, an old classic, poetry, the first in a series, a graphic novel or comic etc. While there are no rules, we are secretly hoping for a good turnout of LGBTIQ+ books for this event.
Please only bring one book to swap.
Your book does not need to be purchased new for the swap. Pre-loved is great! Aim for great condition at a minimum – it is going to be a present to someone else after all!
Many participants prefer to buy a new book. We highly recommend supporting local independent book stores for your purchase. We have partnered with one of our favourite independent book stores, Shelf Lovers, for this event. They have agreed to offer ticket buyers a 10% discount code for standard book purchases (no special orders, no special editions). You can purchase in person at their store in Holland Park or on their website with the discount code. If you’ve purchases tickets and don’t receive your code, please contact us ASAP!
When you purchase through Shelf Lovers, you can also choose the delivery option of collect on the day of Book Swap. How easy is that!
Step 3: Once you’ve picked your book, wrap it in a variation of brown craft paper.
It helps the collection on the day look pretty, plus it’s easy to write on (and decorate if you are that way inclined!).
“Blind date with a book” style is what we’re going for here!
Step 4: Write a new description on the cover.
These are your words. How would you describe your book to someone who hasn’t read it? What can you say to compel someone to choose your book, possibly even arm wrestle for it? What do you love about it? Be as literal, as abstract and/or as funny as you’d like! You could include the genre, the themes, whether or not it’s LGBTIQ+, etc. You can draw pictures, decorate with stickers – whatever your heart desires.
You can also complete steps 3 & 4 on the day of the swap. We’ll have a wrapping station with everything you’ll need.
Step 5: Bring it with you on the day and give it to your hosts upon arrival.
We enforce a rule of no peeking at the delicious collection of wrapped books – this is how Beers & Book Swap runs a bit differently to other swaps you might have attended elsewhere! Once everyone has arrived and the books are assembled, your hosts will get things started. Each book description will be read to the audience so everyone gets the chance to hear what’s up for grabs.
Step 6: When you hear a book you’re interested in, throw your hand in the air.
If you’re the only one to do so, the book is yours, and your swap is complete. But if the book is in hot demand, you’ll have to fight for it – arm wrestling has always been a crowd favourite, followed by paper scissor rock. Once we had a shuffleboard! This year we will have a coin toss option as well – simple & classic!
That’s it! You’ve participated in Book Swap!
Enjoy opening your present!
We encourage you to spend the time after the swap trying to find: a) who chose your book and
b) whose book you chose!
This is your chance to meet new people and embrace the community aspect of Beers & Book Swap.
Thank Yous
Beers & Book Swap would not be possible without the support of:
Melt Festival, for selecting Beers & Book Swap as part of their programming. This project is supported by the Melt Giving Circle.
QUIVR, for generously hosting this event and providing ongoing mentoring and support. Absolute legends!
Shelf Lovers, for offering a discount code to ticket buyers & joining us on the day.
Aimee Catt, for use of previous event photography (our hero marketing image and many others you’ll see across this site are from Aimee!)
Previous guests of Beers & Book Swap over the years, for always supporting us and consenting for use of their photographs on our promotional materials.
And last but not least, to my darling wife, who makes everything feel possible and look amazing.
Meet The Bowers!
Chrissie is trying to remain connected to her Bachelor of Creative Industries by creating fun community events that bring people together. She has hosted Beers & Book Swap since December 2020 as a private event for friends & family, including for their engagement party and wedding announcement! She’s often approached to MC weddings and events and wouldn’t mind doing more. By day she works as a nurse (yes, only days – truly living her best life).
Kel is her wife, who didn’t realise when they met in 2021 that their relationship would involve so many creative projects, but here they are, five book swaps + multiple podcasts + a board game + one random trivia night later! By day (and often night) she works as a graphic designer.
Got an idea for us or an event you’d like us to host? Let’s chat! Slide into our DMs or email us bythebowers at gmail dot com!
Upcoming events
The L Word Trivia Part I
22.10.26
Beers & Book Swap 2026
25.10.26
Heated Rivalry Trivia
29.10.26
The L Word Trivia Part II
05.11.26
All events unless otherwise stated will take place at
QUIVR in Fortitude Valley.